It Can Happen To Anyone A Zak Bagans Romance
by GACwriter23
Summary: The GAC are all about seeking the darkest locations in the world, but soon realize that their latest lockdown has a lighter history than the others. Once Zak Bagans reaches out to a broken hearted girl he realizes that his kindness is turning into love.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

I hate to admit it, but this is a lockdown that I'm not to excited about. No demons and no dark cobwebby rooms. It's just another fancy hotel with a pesturing ghost that the staff wants us to communicate with. Where's the fun in that? I mean, I want a story of a cheating wife back in the 1920's who murders her part time lover so that he'd never be able to reveal her secret. I want stories of bleeding walls and red eyes that feed off the soul. I want the darkest and most evil place in the world. I actually want what the show is about…I want a ghost adventure.

Zak Bagans stood in front of the Jenice Saint Longity Plaza. He rested his hands on his hips and studied the structure. It was a gigantic building made of maroon bricks. Huge windows were placed all over. They displayed inviting scenes that urged anyone to go inside. It had everything to make a person happy; smiling faces, crystal wine glasses, beautiful women and the sound of toe tapping music. Zak looked over his shoulder at Nick. "So this is the place, huh?" He asked sounding unsure. Nick looked into his camera lens then cleaned it with the end of his shirt, "Yup according to tom tom." Aaron shut the back doors of the van. He shrugged his shoulders as he walked towards Zak, "It looks like a cool place to me." The three men stood side by side as they stared at the building. Zak stood in the middle and pointed out the pros and cons of Jenice Saint Longity Plaza to himself. After feeling satisfied with the list he placed his hands on Aaron and Nick's shoulders, "Carpe Diem boys." He announced then led the way towards the entrance.

Once the men freed themselves from the revolving doors they entered the breathtaking lobby of the plaza. A row of beautiful crystal chandeliers hung from the mirrored ceiling. The sunlight shone upon the crystals painted rainbows throughout the area. Tall stoned cylinders were used to hold up the archways and red curtains were placed along the walls. Zak, Nick, and Aaron walked on top of the floral print carpet towards the front desk. A silver bell was placed on top of the oak wood counter to alert an employee for assistance. Zak's right hand reached for it, but was pushed away by Aaron. "Dude, I want to ring it!" He exclaimed. Nick chuckled while Zak rolled his eyes. Once Aaron rang the bell a woman in a Violet colored blouse and a gray pencil skirt greeted them with a warm smile. "Hello, you must be the Ghost Adventures!" She exclaimed. Zak smiled as he extended his hand out for her to shake, "Nice to meet you I'm Zak." The woman nodded then took the next man's hand. "I'm Nick." The woman smiled then gave her attention to Aaron. "Hey there I'm Aaron." "Aaron." She repeated. He smiled. "I'm so thrilled that you boys made it here! My name is Mary Sue and I'm the manager here at Jenice Saint Longity Plaza." She looked to be in her early 40's. She had medium brunette waves and blue eyes. "Thank you for having us, Mary Sue. This place looks amazing!" Nick stated. Mary Sue laughed, "Thank you Nick, we have employees working around the clock to make sure it stays like that." Zak clapped his hands together, "Well we just wanted to let you know that we have arrived, um, we'll head back to our van and get our equipment set up so that we can start filming the interviews." Mary Sue's smile faded a little, "Don't you want to relax for a little bit, doll? I mean you just got here." Aaron nodded, "The bar looks pretty tempting." Mary Sue laughed, "There ya'll go. Have you boys a glass of wine and then come get me when you're finished. Take a break. Don't work yourselves to the bone." Nick snickered, "We're use to it." "Well I'm putting a stop to it for about a half an hour. Go look around and see what you guys are going to be dealing with for 12 hours tonight." Zak scratched the back of this head, "Sounds good to me." Mary Sue smiled, "Great! I'll finish filing some papers while you boys take a look around. I'll be up front if you need me." She said as she began to walk behind the desk. "Alright thanks, Mary Sue." Nick said with a wave. She gave a wink then began taking phone calls. The men turned away and began making their way towards the bar. "Let me introduce myself to the scotch that's calling my name." Zak joked.

Tipsy couple's line dancing and country music blaring from the radio was the welcome the boys received as they entered the bar. The afternoon air was filled with the scent of beer and fruit used to make frozen daiquiris. The plaza's bar was packed with individuals treating themselves with alcoholic drinks while they let loose on their vacations and business trips. The 3 men each sat on a stool and looked around. "So are you still a little bummed that we weren't able to make it to Waverly Hills Sanatorium?" Aaron asked Zak. Zak let his elbows rest on the counter top, "A little. I can't believe they are making it into a bed and breakfast." "Yeah those spirits are gonna be pissed once they start remodeling." Nick added. The 3 shared a laugh. "Yeah well this place doesn't seem so bad." Zak said with a shrug. Suddenly, a woman in a short black dress hugged Nick's arm, "Hey sugar, how about a dance?" Nick immediately smelled alcohol on her the moment she opened her mouth. Her ash blonde hair was messy and her lip stick was smeared past the outline of her lips. Zak and Aaron didn't bother helping Nick out of the situation; instead, they sat back and laughed till they cried. "Get away from him, Trixie; he's got a band of gold on that left hand." The bartender said to the drunken woman. She used Nick's arm to keep her balance, "But he's pretty. I wanna dance with him." The bartender rolled his eyes, "He's married, Trixie." The woman looked Nick up and down, "So am I." the bartender came from behind the counter and walked towards Trixie, "Alright, leave the man alone." He said as he tried to pry the woman off of Nick's arm. Zak and Aaron continued to laugh. "Give him a couple of beers and he'll be drunk enough to dance with you." Zak joked. Nick gave him a dirty look. "Alright Trixie, let go!" The bartender demanded. As soon as he got her to let go she was escorted from the bar. Nick couldn't help but look out for a man claiming to be Trixie's husband, but never saw anyone walk out behind her. He shook his head, "God, I hate Mondays." The bartender returned to his position and began filling mugs with beer. "So you're those Ghost Adventures." The bartender stated. He was a tall older gentleman with a white beard and a cowboy hat. He had on a nice black dress shirt and blue jeans. "And that must have been, Trixie." Aaron joked. The bartender smiled, "She's a doll…when she's drunk." "And you said this place didn't seem so bad, Zak?" Nick asked sounding annoyed by the incident that had just happened. "This place is more than bad." The bartender said as he continued to fill the mugs. "People say they know this place…yeah, well they don't know shit." He added. Zak's eyes narrowed in confusion, "What do you mean?" The bartender sighed then slowly looked up at Zak, "A lot of stuff has happened here boys. They all try to sugarcoat it so that they will keep getting business, but the one's who know the truths aren't afraid to share the horrific stories." Zak moved closer to the edge of his seat. Now he was interested in this place. "Can you tell us what happened?" The bartender shook his head, "To learn the history of a place, you gotta go to the one who's responsible for it." Zak was confused more than ever, "Who's responsible for it?" The bartender moved closer towards Zak, "Tru McCalloway."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Mary Sue rocked back and forth as she talked. She made sure to annunciate her words and smile into both cameras that were pointed in her direction. Zak couldn't help but stare at the bright red lipstick that was freshly applied on her lips. He understood that he didn't know much about make-up, but he believed she had more lipstick on than necessary. "…That's when I walked upstairs and saw a shadow. It moved quickly as if it realized that it had company." She finished. The GAC spent the remainder of the afternoon interviewing numerous employees about their paranormal experiences. Zak didn't want to be judgmental, but it seemed as if some of the stories were make believe. He heard stories of haunted paintings in the rooms; the kind of paintings with eyes that blink and observe movement. Some of the employees claimed that the dolls placed in the toy room would run around and communicate with one another. It all sounded like a Scooby Doo episode, but maybe anything was possible. "Was that the first time you saw the shadow?" Zak asked. Mary Sue nodded, "Yes, but I see it every now and then." Zak gave a nod at her reply. He then asked her to show them where the silhouette was seen. The men followed behind Mary Sue as she climbed the steps of the grand staircase. The group walked down a narrow hallway towards a stained glass window. Mary Sue halted then raised her arm as if she were a "The Price is Right" model standing next to a showcase. "I saw the shadow standing in that corner." She said. "How tall was it?" Nick asked. Mary Sue stared at the wall as if she were trying to remember the characteristics. She placed a finger on her chin then touched the wall, "The head was around this area, so I'm going to say 6 feet." Zak looked at the ivory wall then nodded his head. "Okay Aaron, make an X and we'll place a camera in this hallway to see if we can capture that shadow tonight." Zak said as he pointed at him. Aaron took out the tape and ripped a strip down the middle. Mary Sue watched as Aaron placed the X on the floor. Zak knew that he needed more information about the haunting. He needed the one responsible for it all. "Mary Sue, can I talk to you for a minute?" Zak asked quietly. He stood in front of her in hopes that the sound waves wouldn't reach his fellow investigators. "Sure, doll." She replied as she took a few steps away from her previous spot. Zak looked back at Nick and Aaron and held up an index finger telling them to give him a moment. They nodded then began to talk amongst themselves. Zak smiled in appreciation then turned to Mary Sue. "Um…while Nick, Aaron, and I were in the bar there was a name mentioned by the bar tender." He stated. Mary Sure nodded, "Okay." Zak crossed his arms in front of his chest, "Do you know a Tru McCalloway?" The woman widened her eyes and sighed as if the name overwhelmed her. She looked down at her feet as if her response was written on her high heels. Zak wondered about Tru McCalloway. Who was she? And why was she responsible for the haunting? Whatever the reason, she definitely made an impression by the look on Mary Sue's face. The olive skinned woman looked up at Zak. "She's a wonderful young woman going through the darkest time in her life." Mary Sue explained. "What happened?" Zak asked. Mary Sue looked around, "Tragedy." Zak looked puzzled. "It took a while for me to forget that awful event and I hope I forget all about it again as quickly as you spoke Tru's name." "Is there a way we could speak to Tru ourselves?" Zak asked cautiously. Mary Sue opened her mouth to say something, but then hesitated. Her blue eyes were fixed on something that soon caught Zak's attention. A young woman who looked to be in her early 20's stood at the end of the hall in silence. "Who wanted to speak to me?" She asked with a stern voice. Mary Sue quickly looked at Zak and debated whether or not to say something out loud. He kept his attention on the young woman who looked confused and scared. His eyes were glued in her direction and there was no way he was going to fight to keep them off her. "Tru." Mary Sue announced as she walked towards the girl. She kept both hands on the girl's shoulders as she explained the situation. Zak looked away from the 2 women whispering to each other and began walking towards Nick and Aaron. The men stood awkwardly while Mary Sue privately spoke with the young woman. "So that must be Tru McCalloway." Aaron said. "I guess." Zak replied as he placed his hands in his front pockets. Nick took the earphones out of his ears, "She doesn't look too happy, man." Zak slowly looked behind him and watched as Tru's eyes looked past Mary Sue's shoulders and locked themselves in a stare with his. She never blinked which made it easy for Zak to see the mystery in her emerald eyes. She was hypnotizing and something about her was capturing Zak. Mary Sue quickly walked to Zak and gave him a little smile, "She wants to speak with you." Zak was surprised, "Oh okay." He said with a nod. Mary Sue led the way and then faced forward once she passed Tru, "Thank you boys! Hope you have a great investigation." She called out with a wave. Nick and Aaron thanked her while Zak waved back at her with a smile. Once she was out of sight, Zak gave all his attention to Tru. Her eyes scanned him from head to toe. She was intimidated by him. Zak shadowed her petite body as they stood inches from each other. Tru quickly glanced at his biceps. She never saw anyone so strong before. She liked the fact that he wore all black and styled his hair with a fohawk. Tru looked into Zak's crystal blue eyes and smiled. "I'll answer any questions you have, Mr. Bagans..." Zak watched as she looked over at Nick and Aaron. "…But I don't want to be filmed."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"What do you mean she doesn't want to be filmed?" Aaron asked, with a confused look on his face.

Zak kicked a rock that occupied a small portion of the sidewalk. He kept his fists clenched inside his pockets and fought the urge to yell at Aaron. Zak tried his best to block out the complaints shared by Nick and Aaron, but even he couldn't deny the fact that he agreed with them.

"Aaron, she doesn't want a hunk of plastic in her face with a blinking red light assuring her that her grand ole story is being recorded for the world to see. That's what I mean by she doesn't want to be filmed." Zak said, sounding annoyed.

Nick rolled his eyes, "Dude, this really sucks."

"Don't you think I understand that?" Zak snapped.

The spring breeze hit against their skin as the leaves on the Oak trees sang. The men stood in silence and listened to the thoughts inside their heads. They were all frustrated with Tru McCalloway and wondered what was so private that it couldn't be filmed.

After a long pause Aaron looked up from his feet, "Let's just leave guys."

"We can't just leave Aaron; this is where our lockdown is." Zak said, as he pointed at the building.

Nick rubbed the back of his head, "He's got a point Zak. This girl is basically the heart of the haunting. If she's not going to talk then how are we going to film this episode? There's not enough information."

Zak rolled his eyes. He knew that Nick was right. Without Tru, there was no episode. Sure they had a few good interviews filmed, but none of them contained the history behind the haunting. In Zak's eyes you needed a cherry to top a sundae. Tru's story was the cherry, but it looked like the sundae was meant to remain incomplete.

"You gotta talk her into letting us film her story; it's the only way we can film this episode." Nick said, in a serious tone.

Aaron rubbed his hand against his forehead, "Just ask someone what happened. There's gotta be a big mouth somewhere in there."

"Nobody will say a thing. They're afraid of what happened here and they're afraid of Tru. Did you see the way Mary Sue was trying to calm Tru down once she heard us talking about her?" Zak asked, as he gave a nod towards the building.

"Okay so what? She has sworn them to secrecy." Aaron shouted, as he raised his arms.

"Exactly, which means we're not going to know what happened unless she tells us herself." Zak replied.

Nick smirked then reached into his pocket to pull out his voice recorder. He held it up for Zak to see then raised his eyebrows, "I was thinking the same thing."

Zak sat alone at the round wooden table. He traced the designs on the lace tablecloth with his index finger. Classical piano music was quietly playing while he waited for Tru. Interviewing people didn't make him nervous, but he couldn't seem to shake the jittery feeling he had in his stomach. Going against Tru's wishes was going to score major points on Karma's list, but he wasn't going to forfeit. He let out a sigh as he sat back in his chair. Tru said she would meet Zak to talk, but her tardiness was making him feel hopeless. He looked around the room and noticed that each table had a bouquet of flowers in the center, except for his. Zak gripped the vase on his table and stared at the dead rose that was hunched over the rim. He knew there was something mysterious about the Jenice Saint Longity Plaza and there was a good possibility that Tru McCalloway was to blame also. The sound of footsteps broke his concentration. Zak looked up to find Tru walking towards him.

There was no doubt she was beautiful. The sunlight shined upon her long blonde hair that was styled in waves. Her pale skin blended in with her white summer dress and her green eyes were once again locked in a stare with his. Tru knew how aggressive Zak Bagans could be, but there was no way she was going to let him scare her. He sat up in his chair and placed his right hand inside his pocket. He ran his fingers over the voice recorder and kept his thumb over the record button. Tru's smile grew with every step. She thought he was a good-looking man. Something about him made her happy to be in his presence. He looked calm, but there was suspicion in his eyes.

"Hey there Tru." Zak said with a smile.

Tru playfully looked over her shoulders and smiled, "No cameras; you take direction well." She said, as she gave him thumbs up.

Zak let out a small laugh. He was beginning to feel the pressure rise. He pressed the record button and thought of the first question to ask as Tru sat in the chair across from him.

"So how long have you worked here Tru?" Zak asked, casually.

Tru crossed her legs, "I don't work here, but I've lived here since I was 14."

Zak widened his eyes, "Wow, so you know a lot of the employees here?"

"Yeah; they're like family." She replied.

As much as Zak enjoyed small talk, he knew that he had to get deeper into the conversation. He was prepared for whatever he was about to discover about this girl.

Zak let his elbows rest on the edge of the table, "Have you experienced anything paranormal here?"

Tru shrugged, "What are some of the stories you were told?"

"Just stories about footsteps being heard here and there, and shadow people being seen." Zak knew he was getting too close for comfort by the look on Tru's face. She seemed worried and fidgety.

Tru cleared her throat, "Oh yeah, well whatever they witnessed is what I've experienced too." She rushed.

Zak scratched his temple, "Any actual encounters?"

"No." Tru said, as she slowly shook her head.

Zak leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. Tru watched him study her as if she were a book that he hoped to memorize the words to. His blue irises were hidden as he squinted. She felt as if she were being pushed into the spotlight by Zak. She was the leading suspect in the haunting and he wasn't going to stop playing detective until she confessed.

Zak blinked as he debated whether to push her buttons or keep the conversation light. He didn't want Tru to back away from the intense questions, but then again he intended to be straight forward. Zak didn't travel to the Jenice Saint Longity Plaza in hopes of finding answers. He was going to demand them.

"What if I told you, you were lying?" Zak asked.

Tru tilted her head to the side and smirked, "I'd ask what gave you that assumption."

Zak shrugged, "We asked everyone here if they could tell us the history of this place but they wouldn't say a word; however, your name was mentioned."

Tru snapped, "Who have you been talking to?"

"Mary Sue and the rest of the employees, that's who." Zak replied.

"Err!" Tru shouted with frustration. She covered her face with her hands and fought to keep the tears from escaping. She felt so betrayed and set-up.

Zak gave her a look of confusion, "Why the hell are you so upset? You said you would tell me everything I wanted to know as long as the cameras weren't around!" He said, with a bit of anger in his voice.

Tru threw her arms, "Yeah, but I didn't know they were going to open up their mouths about me, now you know something happened!"

"Something, but not what happened." He said.

"And you'll never find out!" Tru snapped, as she rose from her seat.

Seeing Tru towering over him made Zak feel like he had no control over the situation. He didn't mean for the interview to turn into an argument, but the possibility of never knowing what happened made him angry.

Zak looked up at Tru with intense eyes, "Then why didn't you want to be filmed?" He asked, with a harsh voice.

"For my own protection!" Tru shouted, as she began to walk away.

Zak ran after Tru and grabbed her arm. He pulled her into his chest forcefully and strengthened his grip, "Protection from what?"

"That's none of your business; now please let me go Zak." She begged.

She felt tiny in his arms as he held her close. She quit fighting to release herself, but that didn't stop Zak from keeping a grip on her. He held her arm behind her lower back. He couldn't help but enjoy the softness of her skin as his hand slowly traveled down her arm and made its way into her palm. Tru felt the Goosebumps rise against his warm skin. She was positive that he could feel her heart gradually beating faster. She didn't mind being in that position. As much as Tru McCalloway annoyed him, Zak knew that he was falling for her.

The Hallmark moment was soon interrupted by a beeping sound that came from Zak's front pocket. His eyes grew wide as he gasped. Tru took a step back and watched as Zak looked down. The beeping sound was coming from the voice recorder, indicating that the memory was full. Before he could reach into his pocket, Tru snatched it and held it up. Her disappointed stare immediately made Zak feel ashamed. She couldn't believe Zak would go as far as recording their conversation in hopes of capturing her secret.

"I guess I can't trust anyone." She whispered, as a single tear rolled down her face.

That was the first time Zak couldn't keep eye contact.

Tru wanted to smash the recorder, but grabbed his wrist and placed it in his hand instead.

"Do me a favor and leave me and Anthony alone."

Zak stood frozen as she made her way through the maze of tables. He was still in shock from what happened. He embarrassed himself and knew that there was no way he was going to live that moment down. He kept his eyes on Tru until she was out of sight. Zak wanted to forget about the incident, but it replayed inside his head. His goal of uncovering the history of the Jenice Saint Longity was now replaced by something more mysterious.

…

Who was Anthony?


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

She eliminated heights from her list. Tru's new fear was looking over her shoulder to find Zak Bagans running after her. Luckily for her, that moment wouldn't happen. Her legs were tired, but she continued to climb the steps at full throttle. Tru placed a hand on her chest as she reached for the door knob. She slammed the wooden door as hard as she could and walked over to the window. Anthony looked at her with concern in his eyes. He met her at the window and watched as she grabbed the curtain and breathed heavily. Anthony stroked her cheek with the back of his hand and smiled.

"No good news?" He asked, with a quiet tone.

"The nerve of that man!" Tru exclaimed.

"What do you mean?" Anthony asked, sounding disappointed.

Tru began pacing back and forth, "I tell him that I don't want to be on camera, thinking he understands that I'll only talk to him confidentially and what does he do?"

Anthony's eyes moved right, and then left before looking back at her, "Something bad?" He asked, wincing at his question.

"HE TAPE RECORDS ME!" Tru shouted, as she threw her hands in the air.

Anthony couldn't help but laugh. He didn't like it when she was upset, but Tru made comical faces whenever she was angry.

Anthony's smile faded as Tru gave him an evil glare. He cleared his throat and stood up straight.

"Give him a break, Tru; I'm sure he didn't mean any disrespect. He just needed some facts."

Tru rolled her eyes, "Yeah, but I told him that I wanted to talk to him. Not him and his voice recorder."

Anthony gave her a sympathetic smile, and then continued to look out the window. He noticed a white van parked along the side of the road. The bald man with a beard was telling a joke. Anthony tried to listen, but couldn't catch what he was saying. He watched the other man burst into laughter as he ran his hand over his slicked back hair.

Suddenly, the smiles on their faces faded once they spotted a man walking towards them. The man had on a black shirt and baggy jeans. His jet black hair was gelled in the front and his eyes were hidden behind a pair of sunglasses. Anthony knew the guy was complaining by the way he kept throwing his hands around. The man then pulled out a silver device from his front pocket and went further into his story.

"Hey Tru, I spy your best friend." Anthony said with a laugh.

Tru ran to the window and glared, "Ugh, I can't stand him. I don't even want to look at him right now."

Anthony's eyebrows pulled together, "Then why are you looking at him?"

She slowly shook her head, "Because there's a sick part inside me that hopes he'll look up here so that I can flip him off."

Anthony gave her a blank stare. She rolled her eyes at him then opened the window a little to hear what Zak was yelling about.

Nick and Aaron looked at each other in shock.

"What do you mean it started going off?" Nick asked Zak.

Zak looked down at the recorder, "The damn thing started beeping because the memory is full and then she got pissed off and ran somewhere."

"Awe man Zak." Aaron groaned, sounding annoyed

Nick sighed, "So now what?"

Zak didn't know what to say. He stood in silence as Nick and Aaron waited for his reply. Zak looked down at the voice recorder in his hands and clenched it. He knew he messed everything up and now they were left with nothing.

After a few minutes of thinking, Zak looked up and shrugged, "I guess we leave."

"Leave?" Nick and Aaron asked at the same time.

Tru smiled at the idea, "That's the best thing Mr. Buff has said all day."

Anthony frowned at her, "You're seriously ticked off at him just because he recorded you?"

"Not only that, but because he knows that something happened here; he wouldn't drop the subject after I made it clear that I didn't want to talk about it." She explained.

"Who blabbed?" Anthony asked.

Tru shrugged, "He said he was talking to Mary-Sue and a few other people, but he claimed nobody said a word about it."

Tru continued to glare at Zak Bagans while he discussed leaving the Jenice Saint Longity Plaza with Nick and Aaron.

Anthony looked at Tru with a sad look on his face, "Please don't let them leave Tru."

Tru closed her eyes and bowed her head, "If they stay they're going to make me tell them what happened."

Anthony touched her arm and stood in silence. He knew they both were thinking the same thing. Telling the world what happened on that horrible day would change everybody's outlook on Tru. Anthony didn't want her to face any more judgment than what she had to now, and he didn't want her to hide any longer.

"Maybe it's time to tell everyone Tru." Anthony finally spoke.

She looked at him with disgust, "Are you out of your mind? I've kept quiet about this so that you could be left alone. You're here because of me, so it's my job to protect you."

He frowned, "I never asked you to protect me."

"Somebody's gotta do it." She replied.

Anthony sighed, "Tru, remember when you said that you didn't know what to do and all you wanted was for someone to understand? Well look…there are 3 guys outside who can do just that, but you have to give them a chance. I know it's going to be tuff, but you're just going to have to find the strength."

"What do I do about Zak? I mean, do I let him record me?" She asked worriedly.

Anthony shrugged, "Why not?"

"I just don't want your family to watch this episode and attack me. They already put me at fault. I don't blame them; it is my fault."

"It's in the past now. There's nothing anyone can do." Anthony said.

Tru shook her head, "I should have done something."

Anthony placed his hand on her shoulder, "Well go makeup for it and stop them from leaving."

She crossed her arms over her chest and looked out the window once more. She could see the guys beginning to pack up their equipment and load it into the van. Maybe talking to someone would help ease the pain. She longed for somebody to listen and not look at her like she was crazy. Tru wanted and needed somebody's help. As angry as she was at him, it looked like Zak was the one to give her the help she needed

The big white van was still parked in front of the building. The black cases on the ground were being placed into the back of the van by Nick and Aaron. They looked bummed and kept quiet. Tru walked over to them and lifted a black case for Nick or Aaron to take. The men jumped at the sight of her. There was nothing more scary than seeing a pissed off woman holding a steel case.

"Here let me help you." She said, as she placed the case next to the others.

They watched her carefully and prepared themselves for any punches or slaps. She took a step back and folded her hands in front of her. She kept a smile on her face while Nick and Aaron stared at her cautiously.

Nick licked his lips, "You're Tru right?" He asked.

She nodded at the question, "And you guys are Nick and Aaron. Sorry about not introducing myself while we were in the upstairs hallway, I was caught off guard."

Nick shook his head, "Oh you don't have to apologize; I should be the one doing that."

Tru crossed her arms and tilted her head in confusion.

"Please don't be mad at Zak. I know it's easy to get mad at a dude who has an attitude of a valley girl, but the voice recorder wasn't his idea. I'm the one you should be mad at since it was my stupid concept." Nick explained.

"I forgive you, but I still want to talk to Zak. Do you have any idea where he is?" Tru asked, as she looked over her shoulders.

Aaron nodded, "He's by the pond out back."

Tru felt her heart sink, "The pond behind here?" She asked, pointing to the plaza.

Nick and Aaron both nodded.

She slowly backed away from the van and began walking along the building. She stared at the gate, knowing that her worst memory took place on the other side.

"He just had to notice the pond didn't he? Why couldn't he have gone to the bar down the street?" She asked herself.

Tru reached the gate and spotted Zak. He was standing with his hands in his front pockets, just watching the stillness of the water. Tru hesitated, but forced herself to open the gate. She had almost forgotten about the horrible memory that took place there. The tall green grass, the colorful flowers and the sapphire blue water had stopped her from feeling heartbroken.

Zak heard the rustling of the grass behind him. He figured it was either Nick or Aaron, telling him that it was time to go. He rolled his eyes at the thought. He didn't want to leave. Something was pulling him in, that something being Tru. Zak turned around to find the beautiful woman looking back at him.

"You have no idea how truly sorry I am." He said, with sincerity in his voice.

Tru continued to walk towards him while he talked.

"I promise I will delete everything on that recorder and I'll leave you alone." He added.

"Please stay." She whispered.

Zak widened his eyes in shock, "You want us to stay? I thought you would be yelling at me to go away and to never come back."

Tru closed her eyes for a second, "Look, I've been doing a lot of thinking and I think it's time for me to let the cat out of the bag; you know, tell you about what happened here."

Zak shook his head, "No, please don't do that because you feel like you have to."

"I want to… and I'm giving you permission to film me."

"Tru, you don't have to do this." He said, looking into her eyes.

"I know, but I'm doing this for a very special person."

Zak felt his heart sink at the words "very special person." He tried not to show the disappointment is his eyes.

"Are you sure?" He asked, pausing in between each word.

She wanted to say no, but knew she had to say yes. Tru felt overwhelmed by the moment. She closed her eyes and exhaled. When she opened her eyes she found Zak looking back at her. He had a small smile on his face and looked like he had his mind on something. There was something romantic about Zak. Even though he was dark and mysterious, Tru found a light within him.

"Yes, I'm sure." She said, quietly.

A huge smile made Zak's eyes shine brighter than the afternoon glow. He looked so excited and thankful. Tru couldn't help but smile back at him. She felt special knowing that she could make him happy.

Zak left her side and began running towards the open gate. He couldn't wait to tell Nick and Aaron the good news, but he was more excited to finally hear the big secret of the Jenice Saint Longity Plaza. Zak stopped dead in his tracks and looked over his shoulder. He noticed Tru looking around the area as if she had never seen it before.

"Hey Tru." Zak shouted.

She quickly looked back at him and put her thoughts on hold. She watched as he walked towards her with the same huge smile on his face. He leaned into her and gave her a peck on the cheek. She closed her eyes and inhaled the scent of his cologne. She enjoyed his soft lips being pressed against her skin. He took a step closer and wrapped his arm around her waist. Tru couldn't help but stare at the thickness of his arm while he hugged her. She felt his lips brush against her ear.

"Thank you." He whispered.

She had never heard it sound so sweet.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"Dude, where's Zak?" Aaron asked, as he looked down at his watch.

Nick scratched the back of his head and shrugged, "I don't know, but I thought we were leaving."

Neither one of them had seen Zak for over a half an hour. All the equipment was packed and loaded into the big white van. Nick and Aaron didn't want to leave, but maybe things were meant to be left alone…things being Tru McCalloway.

Aaron leaned against the van and sighed, "Can we just leave without him?"

"No we can't just leave without him. He'll be here in a few minutes; he's probably checking his hair or something." Nick joked.

Aaron laughed, "Or maybe he's bench pressing the neighborhood kids."

Nick pointed at Aaron and nodded his head, "That's gotta be it, or maybe he got eaten alive by Tru McCalloway."

They began laughing together then immediately grew quiet. The last time they saw Tru McCalloway was when she asked them the whereabouts of Zak Bagans. They began to wonder if his absence was somehow related to Tru.

Aaron slowly looked over at Nick, "You…you don't…think she…"

Nick widened his eyes, "I mean I know the girl's a psycho, but she wouldn't…well then again she was pretty upset…oh my god!"

Aaron pulled out his cell phone as fast as he could and dialed Zak's number.

"Nick, he's not answering!" Aaron exclaimed.

Zak turned the corner and spotted his fellow investigators by their vehicle. He couldn't wait to tell them the good news. Tru's interview was going to be filmed…finally. Zak looked at it as his personal souvenir from the Jenice Saint Longity Plaza.

"Hey guys!" Zak shouted.

Aaron and Nick began looking around.

"I hear him, but I don't see him." Nick said.

Aaron looked up, "I think his voice is coming from the clouds!"

"No way, how in the hell did Zak Bagans get into Heaven?" Nick asked, as he scanned the sky.

"Guys!" Zak exclaimed, once he approached his friends.

Nick jumped, "Dude! You can't just pop out of nowhere like that!"

"What took you so long? We thought you got eaten alive!" Aaron shouted.

Zak gave Aaron a weird look then shook his head, "I have awesome news!"

"Alright Muscles, spit it out." Nick demanded.

"She said yes!" Zak announced, with a huge smile.

Nick looked confused, "Are you taking the head cheerleader to prom or something? Be more specific. Who said yes?"

"Tru did! She said that she's going to let us film her interview!"

"Alright Zak!" Aaron cheered.

"You dazzled her with the ole Bagans charm, huh?" Nick asked, as he folded his arms.

Zak shrugged, "I don't know what I did. She just came up to me and said she'll allow us to film."

Aaron walked to the back of the van and opened the doors, "Well, I guess it's safe to unpack."

"Wait a sec, Aaron. I think maybe we should let Zak take care of this one."

Zak's eyebrows pulled together, "What do you mean?"

"She'll open up more if it's a one on one interview rather than a one on three; plus this will give you the chance to smooth that rocky road." Nick explained, with a shrug.

Smoothing the rocky road seemed like a pretty good idea. He wanted Tru to trust him again. Zak knew that she was giving him a second chance, and he wouldn't dare ruin it this time.

Zak nodded, "Thanks Nick."

Aaron passed Zak a case with a camera inside, "I'll also give you the camera stand so that you'll be able to setup anywhere."

Zak looked down at the case in his right hand and the camera stand in his left, "I feel like a kid again, I'm so excited."

"For what?" Nick asked.

Zak took a few steps then looked over his shoulder, "Story Time."

Tru concentrated on the blue ripples and thought back to when they were giant splashes. The pond once was her favorite place, but now it was there to remind her that life can be short. She took a step closer to the edge and looked down at her watery reflection. Tru closed her eyes and prayed for the flashbacks to seize. She didn't know if guardian angels existed, but she hoped for one to stand by her side. Tru slowly opened her eyes to find Zak's reflection next to hers. Maybe he was the one she hoped for, for so long.

She looked at Zak and smiled, "Sorry, I haven't been here in a while; I'm just doing the things that I use to whenever I came here."

Zak shook his head, "Don't be sorry. There's nothing wrong with taking a stroll down memory lane."

"Sometimes it's a place I don't like visiting."

Zak smirked, "Fair, but I don't see why people don't come here; It's so beautiful."

Tru tucked her hair behind her ear, "The water's tainted."

"What do you mean?"

She looked at Zak with sad eyes. Tru knew that she had to be strong now. Her bravery dimmed a little more each day, and she feared that it had gone completely. She looked over her shoulder at the camera. It stood alone in an area of tall grass that hadn't been cut in 2 years. Tru bit the bottom of her lip and wondered how a camera could become one's enemy.

"I think that's the part you want to record." She replied, with a quiet voice.

"Oh!" Zak gasped, taking the hint.

He ran over to the camera and squint his eyes once he looked through the lens. Tru slowly walked over to the area where two chairs were spread apart, facing each other. She took a seat and waited for Zak to finish adjusting the camera. The angle looked to be pointing straight at her.

Zak made sure the camera was positioned to get a perfect shot of Tru. He frequently eyed the LCD screen just to stare at her without making him look obvious. The lighting against her pale skin caused a heavenly glow to manifest around her body. He slowly looked up from the screen to witness the beautiful sight himself. Maybe his feelings were growing too quickly for him to handle. He shook his head to erase the romantic thoughts that began running through his mind. Zak remembered the only reason he was there was to capture this chick's experience, nothing more. He reminded himself that Tru meant nothing to him, but maybe that was all beginning to change.

He slowly walked towards Tru, and knelt before her. Neither of them made a sound, just knowing what they were both thinking was loud enough. Tru was so captivated by the way he looked at her. She understood that he had been all over the world and witnessed many dark sightings; yet his blue eyes were brighter than starlight. Zak moved the hem of her dress to place his hand on her bare knee. Tru prayed for him not to notice the goose bumps that covered her body. His warmth made her blush.

"Before I press record…I…are you sure that you want to go through with this?" Zak asked, with a deep and soothing voice.

Tru nodded, "Positive."

Zak gave her a nod then left her side. She closed her eyes and listened to the sound of Zak's finger pressing down on the red button. After she took a deep breath she opened her eyes to find Zak sitting in the steel chair across from her.

"Ready?" He mouthed.

"Yeah." She whispered.

He smiled then looked into the camera, "You know before doing our lockdowns we like to get in depth with the history and the experiences people are having; that's why we do these interviews. We like visualizing these experiences and feeling what they have felt and that connection alone is an experience. Right now we are at the Jenice Saint Longity Plaza and here with me is Tru McCalloway. We're gonna see what she can tell us about the haunting."

Zak looked at Tru and smiled, "So Tru, what can you tell me about the Jenice Saint Longity Plaza?"

"Well I know it was built in either 1940 or 1941. It was originally an old folk's home."

"And you said earlier than you live here." He stated.

"Yeah this year will be my 8th year being here. I moved in when I was 14." Tru replied with a small smile.

"When you moved here, did you ever experience anything paranormal?" Zak asked, as he leaned in.

"Not at all." Tru said, shaking her head. "Things didn't start happening until…"

Tru didn't say another word, nor did she look at Zak. She began to feel overwhelmed, but tried her best to ignore it. Her hands were shaking and her heart was pounding.

"It's okay Tru, just take your time." Zak whispered.

She let out a long held exhale and cleared her throat, "Can I ask you something, Zak?"

"Shoot."

"Do you have a best friend?"

Zak eyed the sky, "Yeah I do."

"And you would do anything you could to help him right?" she asked.

Zak shrugged, "Well actually my best friend was a girl named Samantha, but she passed away. If she was still alive then yeah, I would help her in a heartbeat."

Tru felt her heart sink, "We have that in common."

Zak was confused, "What do you mean?"

"We both have dead best friends."

Tru knew that Zak was feeling uncomfortable by the look on his face. She didn't mean to put him in an awkward position; just knowing that he understood what it was like to loose someone made her feel accepted.

"I agree with you when you say that this place is beautiful, but it's also the most terrifying place you'll ever visit. Nobody has picnics by the pond anymore, they don't dance in the moonlight with the reflection of the stars on the water, nor do they swim anymore. It's all because of me. People should be here, but they're afraid of this place." Tru explained.

"Why though?" Zak asked. "What happened?"

"My best friend drowned in the pond."

Zak hanged his head, "I'm sorry."

"It was last summer and he came here to visit me. The pond was our favorite place to go. We would sit by the water and talk for hours about what we wanted to do in the future, where we wanted to go, or who we wanted to meet. He was the kind of person who always wanted to prove someone wrong whenever they questioned him. He was never a good swimmer, but he always wanted to prove to me that he could swim across the pond." Tru looked at the water while she talked.

"One day we came here to talk about some feelings that had grown between us. I would have never imagined falling in love with my best friend, but it happened. He was the kind of guy that said or did anything to impress a girl. He told me that he had been practicing his swimming skills and that he'd ask me to be his girlfriend if he made it across the pond. I actually thought that he was going to make it, but then he hit the deep end. I knew something was wrong by the way he threw his arms around. He began screaming my name with terror in his voice; I can still hear it. I watched his body bob up and down while I stood frozen. I was terrified and didn't want to believe what I was witnessing, so I covered my eyes and began to cry. I remember him trying to reach for me, but I was a good 30 feet away. I fell to my knees and screamed for somebody to help him, but nobody could hear over the jazz band that was playing at dinner. I did something that I regret terribly; I left him. I remember banging on windows and screaming to catch an eye. I ran back to the pond and jumped into the water. He grew tired and before I could reach him, he slipped underwater. Mary Sue jumped in after me and pulled me out. I was held down by 4 other people because I was freaking out so much, but they would do the same if it were their loved one. I knew that he was dead because of me. I didn't do anything to help him, which makes me a murderer."

"Tru, you don't have to do this." Zak whispered.

"I thought this was what you wanted." She snapped.

Zak didn't say anything, he only looked down.

Tru sighed, "I remember the white blanket that covered him completely and seeing someone standing next to the stretcher he was on. Once I approached the man I could see that it was Anthony, just staring at his lifeless body."

Zak's eyes widened, "Anthony?"

Tru nodded, "The person haunting the Jenice Saint Longity Plaza isn't a demon; it's my best friend."

Zak wished he would had listened to Tru and left her alone. He didn't know how to handle the situation anymore.

"Why do you think he's still here?" Zak asked, with a curious tone in his voice.

Tru sighed, "Because he's all that I have right now."

"Why do you say that?"

"Everyone turned their back on me, especially Anthony's family. They think I pushed him in. I need to protect myself from them so that they won't come after me, which is why I didn't want to be filmed." Tru explained.

"Have you confided in anyone here or told them that Anthony was still around?" Zak asked.

"They already know that Anthony is the one haunting this place. They told me to get rid of him, but how am I suppose to wish my best friend away?" Tru asked, as a tear rolled down her cheek.

Zak knelt beside Tru once again. She felt his thumb wipe a tear away as he gave her a sympathetic look, "Why are we here?" He asked.

"They tried calling someone in to bless this place, but everyone has to agree to it. I didn't approve, therefore, Anthony stayed put. The owner contacted you because there are no rules stating that everyone has to give permission to have Ghost Adventures here to investigate." She said, with a smile.

Zak scratched his head, careful not to ruin his fohawk, "Look Tru, we're not here to get rid of Anthony, we don't have experience in that area. All we're here to do is to communicate with him and get some answers."

"I'm fine with that, under one condition." Tru said, as she pointed her index finger.

Zak shrugged, "Anything."

Tru looked at him with intense eyes, "You let me do the lockdown with you."

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: "Black Shirt"

Anthony knocked on the wooden door before entering Tru's bedroom. The scent of the summer air danced around him. He loved Tru's room and the way it reminded him of a living scrap book. Photographs of him and Tru laughing, waving from the top of a Ferris wheel, and in full attire on graduation day were placed in gold picture frames. They were some of the many photos placed throughout the room. Tru loved life and the memories she was rewarded with along the way. Anthony, however, blamed himself for ending the joy of it all.

"Anthony, is that you?" Tru called out.

The floor squeaked with every step Anthony took. His best friend was nowhere in sight. He placed his hands on his hips and stood still, "Tru, where you at?"

Suddenly, a shoe was thrown from the dim lit closet, "I'm in here trying to find a black shirt!"

Anthony looked confusingly at the opened closet door, "Why?" He asked, raising his hands.

Tru appeared from the door frame. She held onto the black fabric while she used the door knob to keep her balance. Anthony rushed to her side and did his best to help her climb over the pile of old clothes and outdated shoes.

Tru unfolded the black shirt, "I was looking for this." She said, as she held it up for Anthony to see.

He narrowed his eyes, "A black shirt with 'Happy Halloween' written on it?"

Tru's smile faded as she peaked at the orange lettering and the decorative pumpkins. She had forgotten about those details and now she had nothing to wear to the lockdown. Maybe she could wear it inside out? But that would only make it look like she couldn't dress herself. She wanted to fit in with Nick and Aaron, but most importantly, Zak.

Anthony let out a laugh, "Why were you looking for that?"

Tru closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead, "I was _looking_ for something black to wear for the lockdown tonight."

Anthony crossed his arms over his chest, "Lockdown?"

She looked to the side then nodded before looking back into his angry eyes, "Yeah, what's the problem?"

"I just don't want you going Tru, okay?"

Tru placed a hand on her hip, "Give me a reason."

"I think you should just leave Zak alone."

Tru felt a spark of anger. Did he just tell her to leave Zak alone? She simply remembered Anthony saying differently.

"Anthony, I'm the one who wanted Zak to leave in the first place and you begged me not to let the team go; why are so against me doing an investigation with him and the guys all of a sudden?"

Anthony rubbed the back of his head, "You're not ready for something like this."

"That's that lamest excuse you've ever given me, Anthony. I'm doing this for you. I'm doing this to protect _you._" Tru's voice shook.

"I don't need protection, Tru. I'm tired of keeping secrets!"

"I know you're frustrated Anthony, I am too, but you said yourself that GAC coming here has given us a chance to tell our story. They're here! What are you waiting for?"

Anthony took the black shirt from Tru's hands and stared at it before looking up at her, "I'm waiting for you to snap out of your little fairy tale. You'd be amazed at what you find." He said, giving her a cautious look.

She snatched the shirt back and held it close to her chest, "What the hell is that suppose to mean?"

Anthony ignored her question, "I'll be sure to speak up for the EVP's." He snapped.

Before Tru could say any more, Anthony slammed the door behind him and left her drenched with guilt.

Zak stared down at the equipment placed neatly on the edge of his bed. Battery pack, EMF detectors, Infrared thermal imaging camera, Full spectrum digital camera, microphone pack, and a digital recorder…sometimes it was too much to keep track of. He pulled a tight black muscle shirt over his head then reached for the microphone pack. Before clipping it to the back of his jeans, Zak heard a faint knock on his door.

"Hold on!" Zak shouted, as he jogged towards the wooden rectangle.

He was almost positive that Aaron would be standing impatiently on the other side looking down at his watch before widening his eyes at Zak. Filming was supposed to begin 5 minutes ago and Aaron always seemed to get annoyed whenever Zak was late.

He turned the knob then began talking, "I know Aaron, I'll be right…Tru?"

"I'm so sorry to bother you, but I really need you to do a favor for me." She said, with a hopeful smile.

"Shoot."

"Well, I need to borrow a black shirt for tonight's lockdown."

Zak looked down at the worn out Halloween themed shirt and laughed. Tru loved the sound of his laugh; it gave her the feeling of being on a roller coaster going down a tall slope at full speed. Zak raised an eyebrow then looked back into Tru's emerald eyes; they were always sparkling.

"That's okay Tru. You're our guest; I give you permission to break the dress code." Zak said, tossing the shirt back at her.

She tried to hide her disappointment with a smile, but even Zak noticed the disheartened look on her face.

Zak folded his arms across his strong chest and stared at her, "You look totally bummed."

"A little." She whispered.

Zak narrowed his blue eyes, "Over a shirt?"

"Not just that." She began. "I feel out of place, like no matter how hard I try, I just can't seem to fit in. For once I would just like to feel accepted by everyone here. This place makes me feel invisible, even the paintings on the walls don't speak to me anymore."

"Tru, what are you talking about? There are people here that care about you, especially Mary Sue and your best pal Anthony." Zak said, as he lightly patted her shoulder.

There it was again, the roller coaster feeling. The warmth of Zak's hand resting on her shoulder definitely gave Tru butterflies. She looked down and watched his thumb run over her shoulder blade in a soothing motion. A ring with the GAC logo resided on Zak's thumb, giving her instant chills from the coldness of the silver.

Tru followed the path of his arm that led to his biceps. Zak's arms were her favorite thing to look at. "Okay Tru, focus!" She thought.

"Not exactly, Anthony is mad at me and Mary Sue is afraid of me." She said, closing the door behind her.

Zak began walking towards his suitcase (which sat on top of his bed next to the rest of the equipment.) Tru followed close behind him, deeply inhaling the scent of his cologne.

"Why and why?" Zak asked, as he unzipped his luggage.

Tru watched as Zak began placing piles and piles of black clothing on top of the covers. He quickly looked through each pile before picking 4 black shirts for Tru to choose from. He unfolded each one, displaying the characteristics and designs. One shirt had "Dead on Arrival" printed down the side with a skull on the front. Another shirt had "Murdered Angel" embroidered on the breast pocket with bloody angel wings printed on the back.

Tru eyed her crush, "Don't you own anything that doesn't involve death?"

"Well considering the fact that my job does in fact involve dead people, I'm going to say no." Zak said, giving her a proud smile.

Tru laughed, "Well, I guess I'll just take the plain black tee."

Zak eyed the ceiling and shook his head, "Plain Jane." He teased.

"Hey! There's nothing wrong with being plain." She said, flashing him a smile.

Zak blinked, "True, but maybe that's why you feel so abandoned; you're not doing anything to make people notice you." He said.

Zak definitely noticed her. He knew that he could instantly spot the beautiful girl in a crowded Times Square anytime.

"Who's going to notice me? The only people who pay attention to me were already mentioned; Mary Sue and Anthony."

Zak began placing his clothes back into the black (of course) suitcase, looking at Tru every now and then just to catch the twinkle in her eyes. He was inspired, captivated, and fascinated with this girl. As uneasy as it made Aaron and Nick feel knowing that she would be joining them that night, Zak knew that the crew would have a blast spending time with her.

"You still haven't answered my question regarding them." Zak reminded her.

"Well, Mary Sue always looks so frightened when she sees me. Whenever I get extremely upset she looks worried and tries to calm me down instantly."

"Even I noticed that when you came upstairs during our interview with her. Poor Mary Sue, she feels bullied by you." Zak joked.

"I have no idea why." Tru replied.

"Maybe she's just looking out for you, you know after what happened to Anthony and all. She probably just wants to make sure you're okay." He stated, softly speaking.

Tru nodded her head. She never thought of that being a possibility before. She was so happy that Zak and the rest of the crew were staying at the Jenice Saint Longity Plaza for the weekend; she finally had someone to have deep conversations with. Sure she had her ghostly best friend, but she longed for human interaction. She really enjoyed Zak's company and she hoped that he felt the same way.

"Anthony?" Zak asked, snapping Tru out of her thoughts.

She tucked a string of hair behind her ear and awkwardly cleared her throat. She was a little nervous to tell Zak the reason why Anthony was upset with her.

"I'm sure he thinks I'm invading your space by participating, okay well, demanding to have some sort of involvement with this investigation. He thinks I should leave you alone."

Zak had a dreamy smile on his face when she looked at him shyly. Her heart pounded as she imagined herself planting small kisses along his strong jaw line. She only wished she had the courage to do something like that.

"It sounds like _somebody_ is jealous." He finally announced; ending her daydream as quickly as it began.

Tru pointed at herself, "Why would he be jealous of me?"

Zak shrugged, "He's protective of you. Anthony is going to make sure no boy kisses you and makes you cry."

Tru felt chills all over her body. The way Zak was looking at her made her feel like she was levitating. She couldn't seem to pry her eyes off from Zak, and it was safe to say that he seemed to be struggling also.

"Can I use your bathroom to change?" She asked, sounding hypnotized.

Zak didn't say a word, he just nodded his head.

She began walking towards the bathroom…"Tru?" She heard Zak call. She slowly turned in his direction.

Once he knew he had her attention, Zak sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck, "I don't want you to leave me alone." He said, with a sexy tone in his voice.

She gave him a quick smile before rushing into the bathroom. She didn't want Zak to see her face turning red, or the smitten look on her face. She looked into the mirror and chuckled. It was as if she could actually see Cupid's arrow poking out from her back. She quickly took her shirt off, secretly hoping for Zak to walk in on that moment. She pulled Zak's shirt over her head then brushed her hair from the back of her neck. She absolutely loved the scent of his cologne lingering on the fabric. She glanced into the mirror once more. Tru hardly noticed herself. She looked edgier… braver… a girl Zak Bagans could possibly be interested in romantically, a girl Zak Bagans could possibly be interested in altogether!

"It's lockdown time." She thought. "And I hope this night will never end."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: "Lockdown…Meltdown"

Lady Luna smiled upon the quiet town. She was bright, romantic, and perfectly positioned where Zak's blue eyes glistened like a dream. Tru never noticed how the moon could speak with its beauty until that night. There was so much she wanted to confess to Zak, but the smile they exchanged before glancing at the moon once more proved that some of the biggest secrets could be shared in silence.

"Nice shirt." Zak joked.

Tru looked down and smiled, "Thanks, I borrowed it from some weird guy; his name started with a 'Z'; something like Zrach, Zwak...I really don't remember."

"Could his name possibly be Zak?" He asked with a flirtatious smile.

Tru carelessly shrugged her shoulders, "Zak? No, it doesn't ring a bell."

They both shared a laugh as they continued to stand in the spotlight of the moon's glow. She was so thankful to have met somebody like Zak. He was everything she wished she could be, and she couldn't help but admit that she was jealous of him. He had the ability to travel to the most beautiful places in the world and live his dream at the same time. That was something she admired. As hard as it was to accept, she knew living her dream was something she would never be able to do.

"Thank you so much for letting me be apart of this experience, Zak. This is the biggest blessing I've received in a very long time."

"No, thank _you_!" Zak practically yelled. "It's gotta be so hard to be sheltered for so long, protecting the only thing that still matters to you in life even though it's not all available. You are incredibly brave Tru, and I appreciate you helping us get a better perspective on things."

Tru felt the warmth of Zak's fingertips brush against her palm. He gently intertwined her fingers with his and kissed the top of her hand, "From the bottom of my heart." He whispered.

He was such a beautiful person and all she wanted to do was free the tears she was holding back. Sure his kind words touched her heart, but what touched her more was the fact that somebody finally understood.

The sound of heels clanking against the marble staircase echoed passed the gold awning. Aaron, Nick, Zak, and Tru were welcomed with the sight of Mary Sue waving a set of brass keys in the air. A huge smile was plastered on her face while she brushed strands of hair away.

"Alright, the last of our guests just left which means the Jenice Saint Longity Plaza is closed to the public and open for Ghost Adventures!" Mary Sue yelled with excitement.

"Okay boys, let's do this!" Aaron cheered with a clap of his hands.

Nick laughed, "Don't forget Tru."

Aaron walked over to Tru and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, "Ready for this?" He asked, sounding eager.

Tru nodded, "You bet!"

The group began climbing the steps to the entrance. Mary Sue held open the doors patiently with a smile plastered on her face. Tru clenched the handle of the tin camera case. She closely followed behind Nick, Zak, and Aaron. She liked being apart of a group, even if it was only for one night.

Once they reached the top, Nick zoomed in on Mary Sue's face while Zak held his fist out for her to pound. "Mary Sue, thank you very much. We'll see you at 6:00 am." Zak said with a nod. She smiled at him then continued to pound knuckles with Aaron and Nick.

Tru watched Nick walk through the glass doors, then stopped to look at Mary Sue. She looked uncomfortable and worried. "Don't worry, I'll be fine." Tru promised.

"I know, I know. I understand you feel like you have to do this to protect your best friend, but you don't. You shouldn't be putting yourself in this unfamiliar environment. I just don't want this to be an experience you regret down the road."

"Why would I?" Tru asked, sounding defensive.

Mary Sue shrugged, "You know when Anthony told you not to do this? He wasn't trying to be mean; he just wants to protect you."

Tru rolled her eyes, "The Big Bad Bagans isn't gonna get me."

"He's afraid of what you'll find out Tru. This isn't about Zak Bagans! Why must you keep bringing his name into business that doesn't even involve him?" Mary Sue snapped with a look of disgust on her face.

"It does involve him! He knows everything."

"How?" Mary Sue asked without hesitation.

"Because I told him."

Mary Sue's jaw dropped; the disappointed look on her face made Tru feel uneasy. Mary Sue's bottom lip began to quiver, and her eyes began to water.

"He wasn't supposed to find out, damn it." Mary Sue said with her jaw tightly clenched.

"What do you mean?"

Zak walked outside before Mary Sue could reply. The faint sound of the door closing behind him ended the argument. Zak stood next to Tru, looking back and forth from her to Mary Sue. He knew something just happened, but was afraid to ask. Both women cleared their throats before making eye contact with him.

"Is there something wrong?" Mary Sue snapped.

Zak quickly shook his head, "Uh no, we were just wondering if Tru was going to come inside. We're all ready to start filming, but if you need to keep her for another minute we'll wait."

Mary Sue slowly looked at Tru, "No." Her eyes were cold and angry, "I don't need her." She said keeping her eyes locked on her friend.

Tru let her lips depart, revealing a look of disbelief. Her eyes were dim and the coldness in her body made her heart sink. Tru did her best to keep the lump in her throat from expanding. She didn't want to cry in front of Zak. She wanted to show that she could be strong…just like him.

Zak lightly touched her elbow, "C'mon Tru." He whispered.

She took small steps behind him, keeping her head bowed. Once she passed the corridor, the loud slam of the entrance doors came from behind. Tru looked over her shoulders and watched as Mary Sue made sure each door was locked. She still displayed the look of anger on her olive skinned face. She imagined Mary Sue throwing the key into the flower bed and never bothering to search for them, but instead, she slowly walked away and tucked the brass keys in her pocket.

"Hey." Zak spoke. Tru immediately looked in his direction. He rested one shoulder against the wall and studied her face, "Gonna stay strong for me kiddo?" He asked with a small smile.

Tru closed her eyes and gave him a quick nod.

"Okay, let's go." He said, beginning to walk towards his partners.

Nick and Aaron were testing their equipment, making sure everything was operating correctly. Nick placed earphones into his ears and began focusing his camera, once he realized that Zak was in the room, he pointed towards the dining room. "Do you wanna check to make sure the camera set up in there is at a good angle?" He asked.

Zak looked up and asked Nick to show him where he and Aaron placed it. Tru watched the two men walk into the empty room and adjust the camera while discussing other optional shots. She looked over at Aaron. He was making sure the infrared camera was working properly.

"Do you know how to work one of these, Tru?" Aaron asked, holding the object up for her to see.

"I don't believe I'm familiar with it, but I'm sure I can learn."

Aaron angled the camera so that the monitor was positioned for her to see, "Okay so this is an infrared camera. It allows you to see the changes in temperature. I don't want to get all technical and confuse you, but basically if you suddenly see a silhouette or if abnormal shapes appear in the screen, check the temperature. Sometimes images can appear red if they contain heat and…Tru?"

"…Yeah?"

"Why are you crying?"

Tru watched a small tear fall, "Aaron? Have you ever had a friend who you wanted to tell something, but couldn't because you knew they wouldn't get it?"

Aaron thought for a moment then tightly pressed his lips together and nodded, "Yep, my ex-wife."

"You were married?"

"To my best friend; she was the best gift God had ever given me. I remember shortly after our divorce, I was missing her a lot. One day I couldn't keep it bottled up anymore, so I decided to take a trip to her apartment and visit her. When I was about to tell her how much I still loved and missed her, she told me that she had met a man whom she grew to love."

"Aaron that's horrible." Tru whispered.

Aaron let out a small laugh, "I tell ya what…I felt like I was falling off a cliff with no possible way to catch my breath."

"Then what happened?" She asked, wiping away a tear.

"She asked me why I came to see her, but I couldn't tell her the truth after she told me that…so I lied and said that I wanted to make sure I still had her friendship. She told me that we would always be best friends, but I haven't spoken to her in 3 years."

"I'm sorry."

Aaron shook his head, "Don't be. I'm extremely happy for her, but I often wonder what would have happened if I would have told her how I felt that day. Maybe we would have been able to make our marriage work or maybe nothing would have changed. The point is, is to never keep something bottled up inside. You'll never know if you missed an opportunity of a lifetime if you do."

"It's just kind of tough." Tru said.

"You're right, but let's use the infrared camera as an example. You're walking down a path when all of a sudden you see a gigantic blob appear on the screen. Let's say the blob represents your problem. Now you decide to tell one of us, but then choose to keep it to yourself since it's probably just an animal or something. But suddenly it turns into a shape of an alien, and before you can say anything it abducts Nick, Zak, and I and you never see us again. You see, if you would have just told us about the blob then we could of E.T phone homed the sucker before it ate us…get it?"

Tru smiled, "Yeah, it's crystal clear now."

Aaron gave her a 'thumbs up' signal, "Cooleroolie"

"Thank you, Aaron. I really appreciate you talking to me." She said, flashing him a big smile.

"Anytime ma'am." He said with a nod.

Tru took the infrared camera from Aaron's hands and waited for Nick and Zak to return. She thought about telling Mary Sue and Anthony the real reason why she wanted to join in on the lockdown, but knew that she would feel pathetic. "I wanted more time with Zak." She imagined herself saying. "Oh so you didn't do it to protect me? Wow, shows how much you truly care about me." She could hear Anthony saying harshly. She could see Mary Sue rolling her eyes, "Zak corrupted your mind!" Maybe he did, but Tru liked it.

"Okay! We're all ready for lockdown. We'll just pick up from the last shot of Mary Sue locking us into the building." Zak announced as he picked up a camera.

Tru snapped out of her thoughts.

"Alright, everyone ready?" Nick asked.

"The record button is right on top, Tru." Aaron said with a smile.

"Recording in 3, 2, and 1." Nick called.

Zak turned to Nick's camera, "Okay so we just got locked in here at the Jenice Saint Longity Plaza and we're going to go over our X cameras. We placed 4 throughout the location. First X is located in the upstairs hallway where there are claims of seeing shadows. Second X is located here in the dining room where guests feel somebody leaning over them while they eat. The third X is in the ballroom where there have been reports of hearing the sound of tap shoes and laughter. Last but not least, our forth X camera is located outside next to the pond where a very tragic thing happened. Our friend Tru was the best friend of Anthony who sadly drowned in the pond and we also have Tru joining us on lockdown tonight."

Both Aaron and Nick panned their cameras to Tru. She looked startled, but gave the cameras a small wave.

"So without further adieu; let's rock and roll." Zak said, clapping his hands together. "Nick and Aaron; you two go to the upstairs hallway to see if you can capture any shadows. Tru and I will stay in here and try to capture something on the EMF detector."

"Okay sounds good. We'll meet you back down here in 20." Nick responded over his shoulder.

Tru heard the sound of Aaron and Nick's footsteps climbing the creaky steps. Aaron made a few remarks that made Nick chuckle. Zak watched the light from their camera screens slowly fade away. Once he knew he was alone with Tru, he took the infrared camera from her hands.

"We don't need this right now." He said, gently setting the camera on the floor.

Tru felt her heart begin to pound as Zak's fingertips gently touched her hips. He slowly pulled her into him, leaving little space in between them. Tru closed her eyes and placed her hands on his sides, slowly moving them over his broad chest. He took a step closer and wrapped his strong arms around her waist. The scent of summer air on her skin was driving him crazy. All he wanted to do was take her to his room. Tru's forehead was resting against his chin. It didn't take long for her eyes to adjust. The sight of his bare neck facing her made her wonder what would happen if….

Zak let out a soft moan while she planted small kisses around his neck. She couldn't believe what she was doing. She hardly knew this man, but knew the feelings she had towards him. There was no denying that Zak made her want to take risks, and now that she was wrapped in his arms, she wondered how far other risks would take her.

Zak cupped his hands behind her neck and looked into her eyes. She absolutely loved the excitement Zak gave her. There was a sexy smirk on his face and his eyes were squinted, but Tru could see the satisfaction in them. He liked this just as much as she did. He inched closer to her face and looked down at her red lips. They were slightly parted, ready for his to crash into them. Tru reached up and ran her fingers through his hair, drowning in the temptation. Zak was inches away from her sweet taste until…

"OH MY GOD DUDE!"

Zak jumped, "What the hell?"

"ZAK!"

"HOLY SHIT!" Nick yelled.

Zak ran towards the stairs, but before he could set his foot on the first step, Nick and Aaron pushed past him. Zak nearly fell to the floor, but caught his balance.

"What happened?" Tru yelled.

"There was a man in one of the rooms dude and he looked pissed!" Aaron exclaimed in panic.

"What!" Zak asked, sounding excited.

"Dude he looked SUPER pissed! Aaron and I aren't going back up there!" Nick snapped.

Tru backed up against the wall and watched the three men talk about what had just happened. Nick and Aaron were still shook up about the man they had just encountered. Tru didn't bother asking questions, she knew exactly who the man was.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see a black shadow peak over the railing.

She shook her head with anger, "Anthony." She whispered.

It looked like he was willing to do anything to ruin her night…if it wasn't already ruined.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Things Kept In the Dark

"I swear dude! He was standing in the room!"

"Okay Nick, I said I believed you guys!" Zak snapped.

"Bro, it was freaky, but awesome; He looked just like a regular person." Aaron announced breathlessly.

Nick nodded quickly, "Yeah! He had on a white shirt and jeans; he wasn't even see-through! I'm telling you Zak…"

"Calm down Nick!" Zak interrupted, "I told you I believed you."

Tru was pressed against the cold wall, intently listening to Nick and Aaron as they shared their experience with Zak. She looked over at the staircase before sneaking away from the group to confront Anthony about his practical joke. She quietly climbed one step after another. The faint sound of the men talking lingered behind Tru.

"Anthony!" She hissed in a hushed tone, "I know you're up here."

Tru tiptoed through the moonlit hallway and carefully opened the door to each room. With every empty room she encountered, Tru grew more annoyed.

"Anthony James Swiftwater, I'm serious! Come to me NOW!" She demanded with an eruption of anger boiling through her blood.

Tru tapped her foot on the worn out carpet. Her hands were placed on both sides of her hips, creating an intimidating stance. She watched as Anthony slowly poked his head out from a doorway that was located at the end of the hall. As soon as his eyes met hers, a look of disappointment appeared on his face. He stepped into the hallway and prepared himself for the worst.

"Who in the hell do you think you are?" Tru asked as she stomped her way towards her best friend, "You can't just appear out of nowhere Anthony; they don't understand!"

"Understand what?" He snapped.

"Understand the reason why you're stuck here roaming the halls as you please. They're use to communicating with spirits, not actually seeing them! You practically gave Nick and Aaron a heart attack!"

"Oh, but not Zak right?" Anthony asked sarcastically.

"What?"

"I totally forgot that Zak was the big shot around here. Oh no, nothing could shake the handsome Zachary Bagans to the core. He's seen it all!" Anthony replied, mocking Zak's praise.

"You're so jealous of him that it's pathetic!"

"Oh trust me sweetheart, I'm no where near jealous. At least I know that there are other colors out there besides black!"

"Well at least he's actually alive!" Tru spat back, but quickly regretted ever saying it.

She looked down at the floor to avoid Anthony's eyes. He must have felt so betrayed. Tru couldn't believe that she had actually said that and now she had to face her mistake. She slowly looked up and feared the expression on Anthony's face. She hurt him too much already and hoped that she didn't push him to the breaking point.

"You know I didn't mean that." Tru whispered.

Anthony didn't seem phased by her harsh words. He stood in front of her and stared at the apologetic girl who until that day had never expressed the feelings and thoughts that were buried inside of her. He was actually proud of Tru for freeing her inner bitch.

"Please say something An! I'm terribly sorry; I just got caught in the feud and said something that I shouldn't have." Tru explained with tears welling in her eyes.

Anthony rubbed his forehead before releasing a sigh. He was so unsure of what to do. There was a secret inside of him that begged to be released. He feared the secret would take away the one thing that meant to world to him, but he had to move on…even if it meant breaking his heart.

"I really need to talk to Zak…in private." He said to her.

"What? You were just yelling at me for associating myself with him and now you want to talk to him like you guys are buddy-buddy?"

"Tru…"

"I don't get you anymore!" Tru cried.

Anthony grabbed Tru by the shoulders and jerked her so that her eyes were in contact with his. His frustration level was past its limit.

"Listen to me damn it!" He yelled, "I'm sick of you never listening to a word I say Tru. It's my turn to get the last word in."

Tru's eyes were squinting as if she were trying to read the words in his brain before he spoke them. She hated the fact that Anthony believed she never listened to him; she always listened to him, she loved listening to him. Anthony's words motivated Tru to live her life to the fullest and to take the risks that possibly ended in danger. Once Tru thought about it, maybe the risks were tearing her friendship a part; one risk being Zak.

"Say what you want Anthony, I won't interrupt." Tru said in a calm voice.

Anthony gave her a questionable look, "I hope you own up to your words."

Tru motioned for Anthony to continue.

"I want to have a conversation with Zak so that I can try to get on the same page as him. He knows what can help me and I think that we both need to take advantage of that. There are some things that have been left unsaid and it's only making things worse. Please understand what I'm trying to say Tru; I need to talk to Zak."

"Who needs to talk to me?"

Tru's eyes grew wide once she heard Zak's voice appear from behind Anthony. She was a little nervous to how he would react to Anthony's presence. She never had to introduce her dead best friend to anyone before, but Tru realized that there was a first for everything. Anthony relaxed his shoulders and straightened his back; he slowly glanced over his shoulder to find the man that captivated Tru.

"Zak," Tru began in a faint whisper, "I'd like to introduce you to Anthony."

Anthony didn't move an inch while she introduced him. He was letting the anxiousness build up before facing Tru's stud muffin head-on. Anthony wondered how she described his appearance to the group, which made it hard for Anthony to prepare for Zak's reaction.

Zak wasn't sure how to take in the moment. Standing before him was the subject he was so passionate about and the reason he traveled the world and stayed awake all night in hopes of capturing what he strongly believed in. The truth was in front of him, but without proof it meant nothing. Zak didn't care though. Anthony was an individual that once lived inside a skinned exterior; he was a spirit. He was also the heart of Tru. The word "respect" meant more to Zak right then.

"Hello Anthony, my name's Zak." He announced.

Anthony turned the rest of the way to look the man in his eyes. He felt the coldness of Tru's hands as they protectively wrapped around his forearm.

"I'll give you two some privacy." Tru said before loosening her grip.

Anthony looked over Zak's shoulder and watched as she walked down the hall. Anthony used the sound of her footsteps going down the stairs as a signal that the men were alone.

Zak was a little confused when the ghost extended its hand out for him to shake. "The grip of a spirit would only feel like ice to a human." He thought. As Zak took Anthony's hand, he realized that it was solid.

"It's great to meet you Zak." Anthony said with a nod.

Zak knew that something was not right.

….

Nick and Aaron walked through the ballroom with Tru close behind. She didn't understand how to use the equipment, so Aaron spared her confusion by letting her carry around the digital voice recorder. The ballroom was creepy; it was pitch black and the echo of footsteps lingered for a long time.

Aaron shone is flashlight on the ceiling. A painted sky with angels playing harps floated above their heads. "This place is incredible!" He said.

"Is there anyone here who wishes to communicate? If so, please walk over to our friend Tru and speak loudly into the microphone." Nick announced as he looked around.

Tru stood still and waited to feel the presence of a spirit, but that feeling never manifested.

"Hey Tru, is this you in the picture?" Aaron asked as he zoomed in on the photograph.

She rushed to see the picture hanging on the wall. Protectively surrounding the 8x12 photograph was a wooden picture frame. Inside was the image of Tru dressed in a floor length ivory dress; her hair was pinned into a loose bun. She was looking up at Anthony with a sparkle in her eyes as they shared a dance at the annual Jenice Saint Longity Plaza Christmas party.

"That was the best time." She whispered, doing her best to keep the lump in her throat from expanding.

She kept her eyes on the photo even though tears were beginning to blur her vision. Anthony looked so handsome in his black tux, and his smile was brighter than any light bulb on the Christmas tree. She was so happy to see one of her favorite memories captured and on display where it took place. The joyful feeling of that day came back to her. It was the best feeling in the world.

"Hey guys," Nick said, snapping Tru out of her thoughts, "I think we should move on. Nothing is happening here."

"I agree, you coming Tru?" Aaron asked before leaving her side.

"Yeah"

She quietly followed Aaron out into the hallway. She turned to see if she could steal a glimpse of the photo before she left the area, but all she could see was the darkness. Tru touched the door knob and pulled it towards her until the rectangular door closed. Anthony was right. Too many things were being kept in the dark.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Zak Learns the _**Tru**_th

For the first time in a long time, Zak let his guard down.

He tightly wrapped his palm around the gold railing and let his blue eyes release the tears that would stain his tan face.

Zak didn't understand how he could stay strong while challenging demons in the most haunted places in the world, but break down after encountering a restless spirit. Maybe this investigation _was_ too much for him to handle. The only thing Zak knew now was that he should have left when he had the chance.

His weak body climbed down one step at a time.

"Hey, there's Zak; where have you been man?" Nick asked once Zak's silhouette appeared in the faint darkness.

Zak didn't bother responding; he slowly turned his head in the direction of Tru and only set his eyes on her for a moment. Tru noticed how dull his blue eyes were; the same blue eyes that pierced her soul suddenly became unfamiliar.

"Is everything alright, Zak?" Tru asked with a concerned tone in her voice.

She was such a beautiful, warm, and caring person. Zak knew he was blessed to have had the opportunity of getting to know her through their short visit. However, getting to know her past wasn't such a blessing.

Zak quickly dried the remaining condensation with the back of his hand then continued to make his way down the staircase. Tru couldn't take her eyes off him. Like a dramatic movie, Zak's movement appeared in slow motion to her. The frown on his face was terrifying; she knew that the man standing before her wasn't the Zak she knew or the Zak she grew fond of. This was a stranger.

He was asked to do something that he knew would break Tru's golden heart; the thought haunted his mind with every step he made towards her. Zak noticed the concerned look on her face; he hoped that someday she would be able to forgive him. His heart was breaking too and it was time to walk away.

"Zak?" She asked as he walked by. He didn't bother looking back or letting a single word escape from his lips. The only thing he left was the lingering scent of his cologne.

Nick's jaw dropped as he looked up at Tru from his LCD screen.

"Dude!" Aaron exclaimed in disbelief as Zak walked out of the room.

Zak continued to further himself away from his friends without looking back once. Usually Aaron and Nick would let Zak have a few moments to himself before continuing an investigation, but they knew this was too serious to ignore.

Aaron turned to Tru, "Is there a reason why he totally ignored you a second ago?"

Tru placed her palm on her forehead and opened her mouth to speak. Once she realized she didn't have an explanation, she shrugged her shoulders then bit her thumb nail nervously.

Nick eyed Tru suspiciously before looking at Aaron. Frankly, Nick was starting to become angry. Hidden information was being kept from Aaron and himself. He knew Zak had no intentions on telling his crew members the discovered details he was now aware of; facts like that made Nick realize that maybe he, Zak, and Aaron weren't on the same team after all.

"Where you going, bro?" Aaron asked, as Nick began to follow Zak.

When Nick didn't respond, Aaron looked back at Tru, "Excuse us."

She gave him a nod and watched as the two men ran after their troubled friend.

"Zak, wait up!" Nick called.

Zak continued to walk. He waved his arm behind him, gesturing for Nick to get away, but Nick wasn't going to give up.

"Zak, I'm serious!"

"And so am I!" Zak yelled as he turned to face Nick.

"Great! So let's get everything out on the table now. What the hell is your problem? I know you are keeping something from Aaron and I and its not cool man; we're suppose to be a team!"

"We are a team."

"Then what the hell are you hiding?" Nick snapped as he opened his arms.

Zak placed his index finger up to his lips, "Jesus, Nick, keep it down!" He hissed through his teeth.

Nick shook his head, "Not until you tell me what's going on."

"I WANT TO QUIT; THAT'S WHAT'S GOING ON!"

Aaron rushed over to Zak's side, "C'mon dude; calm down."

Aaron did his best to keep space between Zak and Nick while balancing a heavy camera on his shoulder.

"No, Aaron; get off me! I can't do this anymore! I want to leave right now, I'm damn serious. Call Mary Sue, and tell her that we want out. I'm done!"

"What happened?" Nick snapped.

"I just wanna leave!"

Aaron shook his head, "So you're just going to give up?"

Zak rubbed his forehead and placed a hand on his hip. All he wanted was his friends to understand what he was going through, but when people asked Zak to keep a secret, he obeyed.

"What about all the people counting on us? Nick asked.

Aaron nodded his head towards the room where the beautiful young girl waited, "What about Tru?" He asked calmly.

Zak let out a sigh, "Now you know things are getting serious when Aaron starts making sense." He joked.

Nick ran his hand over his slicked-back hair, "Tru looked hurt when you ignored her like that. You should go talk to her."

Zak nodded, "I didn't mean to ignore anyone; I just had to chill for a bit. Things are just so overwhelming at the moment, I can't even think.

"Well, I'm sorry for charging after you." Nick said.

"I didn't say anything to you guys because I was asked to keep a promise, but I'll do my best to explain to you guys later. Can you and Aaron please leave the location? There's something that I _have_ to do. Please."

Nick and Aaron looked at each other and nodded.

Aaron pulled out his cell phone, "I'll call Mary Sue."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

She never once took her eyes off him.

Even after seeing Zak in a different light, Tru still perceived him as the most beautiful person she had ever encountered.

A different vibe in the atmosphere manifested as Zak slowly walked into the dining room. He slowly leaned his body against the cold wall and scratched his temple. He knew that the outcome of this conversation would end in heartache, which made it difficult to speak the first word.

Tru watched Zak's eyes scan the floor; the contemplative look on his face made her heart pound.

Tru joined Zak at his side; he forced himself to stay strong once he looked into her emerald eyes. Her pale arm reached towards him and her cold hand caressed his face. Zak would never confess to her how much it killed him to feel her touch.

"When I was a little girl, my mama would tell me to smile even when the world turned its back on me."

Zak touched the small hand that remained on his cheek and interlaced his fingers with hers.

"She said that wearing a frown would only show people that you let Satin take away your happiness."

"Why are you telling me this?" Zak asked with a sad face.

"Because you let Satin get the best of you."

Zak let out a sigh, "You have no idea."

Tru let her hand slip away from his face, "Try me." She whispered.

Those two words set Zak's heart pounding so fast that he lost a breath. It was time to face the moment he desperately wished could be a silly dream that he would wake up from. His body felt numb and the nerves were starting to kick in.

"It's now or never, Zak." He thought to himself.

Zak took both of her hands in his and kissed the top of her head. That beautiful porcelain face was angled perfectly for the moonlight to shine on. Zak didn't want to get caught off guard, but he couldn't get over how lovely she was. Tru finally saw the sparkle in his eyes once again, but she could tell that he had been crying; that terrified her.

"You are the best friend that anyone could ask for and you know how to be loyal to the ones you love. The way you defend Anthony is incredible and brave." He began.

Tru closed her eyes to hide the tears that were beginning to manifest, "Thank you." She whispered as a tear fell.

"Coming to this location has given me a positive outlook on life as well as a negative one. I was raised to protect my loved ones and to make it a priority to see that they are safe; you do that with Anthony, and vise versa. However, this is a beautiful place and it has a lot of potential, but this secret is holding everything back." Zak said as he let go of her hands.

Tru looked down confusingly, "I don't understand."

"What I mean is…these secrets are making everyone grow a part and they are keeping everyone from being happy. You see, the staff would love to connect with the guests, but they can't because they feel that it's their job to protect certain people."

"By certain people, you mean Anthony." Tru stated.

Zak slowly shook his head, "I mean you, Tru."

Tru took a step away from him and rolled her eyes, "Of course you do; it's always my fault. I could find the cure to cancer here and nobody would give a damn; I can never do anything right."

"No, no, no." Zak quickly replied as he held his hand up; "That is not what I meant at all."

"Then what are you trying to say?" Tru asked, as she folded her arms over her chest.

Zak let his head fall, "It's not what I'm trying to say, it's more like how to explain it."

Tru placed her index finger under Zak's chin and lifted. He slowly raised his head to find her eyes staring back at him. He desperately searched her eyes, hoping to find the right words to say in them. She grew frustrated after his long pause. His narrow eyes appeared absent once again. Zak realized that he couldn't explain anything, but showing her would give her the answer she wanted.

"Follow me." He commanded with a heartbreaking tone.

Tru tilt her head, "Where?"

Zak ran his hand over the back of his head, "Please don't make this harder than what it already is, Tru."

She looked at him confusingly and gave a small nod.

Tru held on to Zak's hand as he led her up the stairs and down the hall. The darkness made it feel as if they were in a carnival maze. Zak knew what it felt like to go in one direction then make a turn that would only lead to a dead end. The surreal feeling continued to linger, but the crash of reality was moments away from making itself known. Zak didn't know how to prepare for it, but trying was the first step.

They turned a corner only to find a wooden door standing before them. The curtain blowing in the early morning wind displayed a creepy setting. Tru squeezed Zak's hand tighter once the sight of the rugged door caught her attention. She buried her head into Zak's bicep and inhaled his scent deeply; it comforted her after an overwhelmed feeling overcame her.

"There's something in there." Zak announced.

"Why did you bring me here?" She asked, as she nuzzled her face against Zak's arm.

"Something that will give you closure."

"You're scaring me Zak." She whispered.

Zak gently jerked his arm away, "That's not my intention at all, but in a way, I'm glad you're afraid."

Tru lifted her head and looked straight into his eyes, "What's going on?"

"Listen Tru;" He began as he placed both hands on her shoulders, "Sometimes in life we spend a great amount of our existence trying to figure things out. We search and search for the answers and sometimes they come to us right away, but other times they don't come until later on down the road; we keep things hidden deep inside that sometimes we forget that there's always been a door with the explanations inside and we just need to look back and open it. We often ask 'why?' or 'why me?' when what we really should be saying is, 'why can't anybody else be as strong as me in this situation?"

Tru eyed the door, "So this is the door that I need to open?"

"With me standing by your side…right where I belong."

She smiled, "It's a surprise, isn't it?"

Zak pressed his lips together before grabbing her hand once more. She continued to look at Zak as a way of letting him know that she was still waiting for a response, but his eyes were glued to the door and didn't stray from it.

She anxiously walked towards the door as if she were expecting a gigantic bouquet of roses waiting for her grasp on the other side. The speed of her pace caused sections of hair to brush past her shoulders, and the sound of her footsteps crashing against the wooden floor echoed through the hallway. She could already feel the cold sensation of the door knob just by reaching for it.

"Tru, maybe you shouldn't…" Zak began.

A smile danced across her face as she forcefully pulled the door open. A bang occurred once the door slammed against the moon-lit wall.

"…get your hopes up." He finished, once she froze.

Tru's smile quickly faded.

It was a closet.

No roses…just a trunk; an old, worn out, dusty trunk.

Tru swung around to face Zak, "I don't understand." She said, as if she had never seen such a thing in her life.

He didn't respond, just looked at her as if she were a moon rock that needed to be examined.

She glanced at the object once more then fell to her knees. Her face grew hot as her hands fidgeted to release the clutch. With a single "click," the top of the trunk swung open, exposing the treasures it kept inside.

Tru coughed as she waved the dust clouds away. Zak quickly ran to her side and placed a hand on her cold shoulder. A look of worry appeared on his face while she squinted to keep her eyes protected from the dust particles.

Her eyes soon grew wide, "No way!" She exclaimed.

Zak followed her eyes, which were set on an old looking guitar.

"You play guitar?" He asked, sounding impressed.

"Not at all," She replied, "but my grandmother did; this was hers."

She pulled the guitar out of the trunk before picking a few strings. Zak watched the sparkle in her eyes dance along with the beautiful sound.

Tru gasped, "My high school diploma!"

She placed the guitar upon her lap and reached for the cream colored document. While she read the print out loud, Zak scanned through the photos that were placed in a pile. A great portion of the photos were of Anthony and Tru, but there was one picture that surprised Zak completely.

"How did all of this stuff get in here?" She asked herself.

"Tru?" He questioned, as he handed her the photo.

She gave him an awkward smile as her eyes moved from him to the photo, "Uh…yeah, did I ever tell you that I was once married?"

"No, I think you left out that little detail."

She shrugged, "My family didn't approve of him, and his family didn't approve of me; it just got too overwhelming, but I survived."

"You looked beautiful in your wedding gown though." He whispered.

She blushed, "There was an ad for it in the newspaper and I just fell in love with it; in fact, I think I may still have the…" She trailed off, as she began searching through the trunk.

Zak set the photo aside while she looked some more.

"Here it is!" She shouted, as she pulled out an old edition of the local newspaper. "I believe the ad is in here."

He waited patiently as the beautiful girl frantically looked through the pages. Watching her take a stroll down memory lane was magical, the kind of magic that changed the way he thought about time. Zak got so lost in his thoughts that he didn't notice the troubled look on Tru's face.

"This has got to be a joke; a sick, disgusting joke." She said in between breaths of panic.

Zak got so caught in the moment that he temporarily forgot the reason he was sitting beside her. The young woman's hands shook and small weeps escaped while she read the passage. She placed a hand over her heart, the pain was unbearable.

"YOU KNEW AND YOU DIDN'T FUCKING TELL ME!" She screamed.

Zak couldn't help but jump and move a few inches away from her. Her once emerald eyes were now dark.

It terrified Zak to see her like this. He could feel the hatred, fear, and confusion take over the romantic atmosphere. Reality had finally hit, but he didn't know it was going to sting.

"Tru…I…I'm…"

She cried hysterically as her tears fell like the pouring rain during a severe storm. The page was now wrinkled from her tight clench. Even trough blurred vision she could read the words perfectly clear. It was the most frightening obituary…it was her obituary.

"I'm so sorry, Tru." He choked.

"I'm dead."

That was all she could say.


End file.
